The town itself is walkable, but the Hells may be a bit far for most to find it convenient.

The town itself is walkable, but the Hells may be a bit far for most to find it convenient.

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That said, the Hells and other sites can be reached by the bus system. Departures are outside JR Beppu Station. The Foreign Tourist Information Office in JR Beppu Station sells one-day bus passes for ¥900 (¥700 students). This is a similar price to buying an individual ticket to the first Hell area, onward to the second Hell area, and finally back to JR Beppu. Additionally, this bus pass comes with a coupon book including a &yen;200 discount for the Hell's combination ticket. With that discount alone factored in, circa March 2011 prices, it comes to &yen;50 less expensive than buying all the aforementioned separately.

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That said, the Hells and other sites can be easily reached by the tourist-centered bus system. Departures are outside JR Beppu Station. The Foreign Tourist Information Office inside JR Beppu Station sells one-day bus passes for ¥900 (¥700 students). On the Hells route bus schedules are posted at stops. The longest intervals being ~30 minutes.

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On the Hells route, bus schedules are posted at stops. The longest intervals being ~30 minutes.

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Whatever one chooses to do, the aforementioned information office has info on sites and activities, and can additionally can tell one which bus # next leaves for their destination, wherever that may be.

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Whatever one chooses to do, the aforementioned information office has great info on sites and activities, and can additionally can tell one which bus # next leaves for their destination, wherever that may be.

Understand

Famous for it's visually stunning hot springs (The Hells of Beppu), Beppu is one of Japan's Three Great Hot Springs.

It was also once known as the Las Vegas of Japan, a reference more to its extensive sex industry than gambling. The city has been attempting to clean up its image however. To non-Japanese tourists, the sex industry may not be obvious, or even perceivable.

Beppu is along the coast but pressed by the mountains. As a result the city, while not very large, is rather long. Most of the most well-known onsens and the tourist attractions, including most of the Jigoku or "hells", are in the Kannawa area which is almost on the opposite side of the city from the train station. Buses to and from the Hell areas come around every 30 minutes. Many of the onsen are open very late, so many tourists opt to stay in one of the onsen areas.

Get in

By plane

The nearest airport is in Oita, from which shuttle buses run to Beppu downtown (¥1450, 40 minutes).

The Fukuoka airport can be also used thanks to the bus service from the airport through the Oita Expressway coming to Kannawa onsen / Beppu downtown (¥2000 in case of 4-coupon ticket, 110 minutes).

By train

The Sonic limited express train runs twice an hour from Fukuoka (Hakata Station) and Kokura, stopping at Beppu before terminating in Oita. From Hakata station to Beppu takes ~117 minutes, and if purchased as an individual ticket costs ¥4290. From either Hakata or Kokura it's much better to buy nimai-kippu (discount two tickets) for ¥6,000 (Hakata <> Beppu) / ¥5,800 (Kokura <> Beppu) or yonmai-kippu (discount four tickets: recommended if two people travel) for ¥10,000 (Hakata <> Beppu) / ¥9,800 (Kokura <> Beppu.)

If you are coming from Honshu on the San'yo Shinkansen line (such as those holding Japan Rail Passes), switch to the Sonic at Kokura station. From Kokura, you can reach Beppu in 75 minutes at a cost of ¥4290 each way (no charge with the Japan Rail Pass).

An overnight train, the Fuji, runs from Tokyo Station to Beppu in 17 hours, departing Tokyo at 6 PM. If you want reach Beppu in a shorter amount of time, you can take the 10 PM Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto to Himeji, take the San'yo Shinkansen to Kokura, then take the Sonic to Beppu. (12 hours)

By car

The Oita Expressway runs from the south, passing a few miles to the west of the city. Exit at the Beppu Interchange. National Route 10 runs north-south through the city center, along the shore of Beppu Bay.

By boat

Uwajima-un'yu ferrry company operates frequent service from Yawatahama, with about 6 crossings per day, going to Beppu port.

Diamond Ferries runs a service from Kobe to reasonably nearby Oita, with no stops. It also runs a service from Osaka to Oita, stopping in Matsuyama on the way.

Information Office

The Foreign Tourist Information Office[7] has three branches in the city center. One is near the east exit of JR Beppu Station (TEL: 0977-21-6220), the second is on Ekimae-dori, between the Ginza and Yayoi shopping arcades (TEL: 0977-23-1119) and the third is located in Jigoku-mushi Kohbo in Kannwa (TEL: 0977-66-3855). Two of them (except Beppu Station) offer free internet access. They open from 9:00 to 17:00.

Get Around

The town itself is walkable, but the Hells may be a bit far for most to find it convenient.

That said, the Hells and other sites can be easily reached by the tourist-centered bus system. Departures are outside JR Beppu Station. The Foreign Tourist Information Office inside JR Beppu Station sells one-day bus passes for ¥900 (¥700 students). On the Hells route bus schedules are posted at stops. The longest intervals being ~30 minutes.

Whatever one chooses to do, the aforementioned information office has info on sites and activities, and can additionally can tell one which bus # next leaves for their destination, wherever that may be.

See

Jigoku

Beppu's top sight are the ten hells (地獄 Jigoku), multicolored volcanic pits of boiling water and mud, and one geyser. The hells are too hot to be diluted into onsen, and they emerge at temperatures ranging from 50 to 99.5 °C (122 to 210 °F). Some of the hells have a natural smell of sulfur — which comes out a bit like rotten eggs.

The main group of eight hells are administered by The Beppu Jigoku Association (Tel. 0977-66-1577). [8] Combination tickets can be purchased for ¥2000 for visits to 8 of the hells. If one purchases an unlimited bus ticket for ¥900 from the Foreign Tourist Office in Beppu train station, one is given a coupon book. Included is a ¥200 discount for the combination ticket. If purchased separately, dmission to each individual hell is ¥400. Hours for the eight hells are 8:00AM-5:00PM, although Tatsumaki-Jigoku doesn't close until its geyser has had it's last eruption at the end of the day, so it may be open a little bit later than the rest.

Six hells are within very easy walking distance of each other. Take bus #2, #5, #9, #41, or #43 from JR Beppu Station to the Umijigoku-mae stop. The foreign touriist office in Beppu train station can tell you the next bus that is leaving for the area, as well as provide a map of the route.

Umi-Jigoku (Sea Hell)

Oniishibozu-Jigoku (Shaven Monk's Head Hell)

Yama-Jigoku (Mountain Hell)

Kamado-Jigoku (Boiling Hell)

Oniyama-Jigoku (Demon Mountain Hell)

Shiraike-Jigoku (White Pond Hell)

Two more hells are about 2.5km away. Either catch a bus back to the Kannawa Onsen bus stop or walk a couple minutes down the main road or Miyuki-zaka to Kannawa Onsen street, and take a left. From the Kannawa Onsen stop, take bus #16 (6 min).

Chinoike-Jigoku (Blood Pond Hell)

Tatsumaki-Jigoku (Geyser Hell)

Finally, there are two hells that are not included in the combination ticket.

Honbouzu-Jigoku (Mud Hell) Bus #2 from JR Beppu Station (20 min) runs to Honbouzu, or it's a short distance from Umijigoku-mae. Admission is ¥400.

Kinryu-Jigoku (Golden Dragon Hell) Near Siraike-Jigoku and Oniyama-Jigoku on Miyuki-zaka.

Other sights

Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Center (Tel. 0977-23-1072) Has displays on bamboo craftsmanship and offers courses on making your own. Buses run from JR Beppu Station.

Beppu Hihonkan (Sex Museum) (Tel. 0977 66 1385; 336 Kannawa. Open 9:00AM-5:00PM, ¥700) Conspicuously missing from the official maps provided by the local tourism agency, it's nevertheless quite easy to find, next to Siraike-Jigoku on Miyuki-zaka in the Kannawa Jigoku area.

Do

Onsen

Downtown Beppu offers several hot springs to visit. You can't wander too far, though, without seeing the equally promiscuous sex shops, which will usually be quite blatant on the streets. If you're going to visit a hot spring with children, and you're worried about this, plan ahead.

Takegawara Onsen

Takegawara Onsen, 16-23 Motomachi, ☎Tel. 0977-67-3880. 6:30AM-10:30PM. A Meiji-era classic. The hot bath is extraordinarily hot, and signs gently remind you that the regulars like it that way. If you're not in a hurry, take a dip after you've been buried up to your neck in hot sand on the other side of the building. Tickets come with a yukata. Step into the changing room to stash your valuables, change into your yukata, head through the curtain, and then lay down in the sand pit (with the yukata on); an attendant will be along to shovel hot sand on you shortly. (Cameras are welcome — they're happy to take photos of you while you're buried.) After ten minutes or so, you'll emerge from the earth and shower back in the changing area. It's between Ekimae-dori and Nagarekawa-dori, one block before the intersection with Route 10.Tickets are ¥100 for the hot bath, ¥1000 to include the sand bath. Discount coupons may be available from some of the neighboring hotels.

The other hot spring areas in addition to the downtown Beppu are:

Kannawa Onsen (Bus 5, 9, 41, 43 from JR Beppu Station)

Yukemuri Observation Platform to see hot springs steam against mountains.

Hyotan Onsen -- a large complex open until 1:00 AM with indoor and outdoor baths using several types f wood and stones, sauna and steam rooms, a waterfall bath, and a dry sand bath

Festivals

The international Music Festival: Argerich's Meeting Point in Beppu has been annually held since 1998 [10] .

Learn

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. The Beppu branch of this Kyoto-based university has students from over 80 countries. Take bus #50 or #51 from JR Beppu Station to reach the campus.

Beppu University is about two miles west of JR Beppu Daigaku Station.

Buy

The mud-yellow Tokiwa Department Store has four floors of high-end and casual clothing shops, a food court in the basement, and other standard depato fare. It's on Ekimae-dori, at the intersection with Route 10. There is a starbucks on the ground floor.

You Me town Department Store (Beppu shop). On Route 10 near Beppu Tower. There's a large grocery, pharmacy, and beauty shop on the ground level.

B-Passage（Beppu Station center）

Smaller shops can be found in the Ginza Shopping Arcade and the Yayoi Shopping Arcade between Ekimae-dori and Nagarekawa-dori.

Eat

Toyotsune (とよ常), Ekimae Hon Machi (As you exit the East Exit of Beppu Train Station, it's opposite the station on the left side tucked in the corner.). Till 9PM. A small but cozy outlet that has a 20 year history. The place's friendly Okami-san has also recently prepared an English menu (inquire inside). The place serves a good Tendon (2 big prawns!) for ¥680, and it comes with a Miso Soup which is also the shop's speciality, with a stronger taste than the normal ones. For the adventurous, they do Fugu as well for around ¥2200.

Hanatokei Coffee and Tea (花時計珈琲館), Funakoshimachi 1-32 (Daisansou-Iriguchi bus stop (Oita Kotsu Bus toward Ritsumeikan)), [1]. 8AM-8PM. Opened for nearly 30 years, Hanatokei is currently run by Mrs. Matsumoto, a devoted student of coffee beans and baking. The menu includes Japanese and Western style dishes.400-1000 Yen.

Drink

Hitparade. A uniquely Japanese experience, Hit Parade is an all you can eat buffet and all you can drink (alcoholic or not) American 1950's Dance Hall. A live band preforms songs from 1950's America while locals preform coordinated dance moves in front of the stage. It's more of a show than a modern dance club, think of a theater with food and drinks, but well worth the scene.Men ¥3600 Women ¥3000.

68. A small bar with English and Japanese speaking staff. Usually frequented by local university students. It can be too busy on weekends in Semester but is a good place for a drink and to find useful information about local sights in and around Beppu.

Sleep

Budget

Beppu Guest House. Amazingly close to the JR Beppu station, shopping and more. Great location, nice staff, laundry - and the staff are quite helpful and knowledgeable about the area.Dorm room ¥1500 Single Room ¥2500.

Minshuku Kokage, 8-9 Ekimae-cho, ☎0977-23-1753 ([email protected], fax: 0977-23-3895). A short walk down Ekimae-dori from the east exit of JR Beppu Station; look for the prominent sign. Has its own hot bath.Japanese and Western style rooms ¥4350 for one, ¥7650 for two, ¥11,475 for three.

Nogami Honkan, 1-12-1 Kitahama, ☎81-977-221334 ([email protected]), [3]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 10AM. New, spacious and well-appointed rooms, with meals and 3 private and 2 public Onsen available. There is a fluent English speaker on staff during the day-time hours. It's a few minutes from JR Beppu Station on Ekimae-dori. Turn right at the first street once you see the post office across the street on your left.It's a terrific value at ¥5000 per person.

Mid-range

Splurge

Suginoi Hotel, Kankaiji 1, ☎0977-24-1161 (fax: 0977-21-0010), [5]. A luxury hotel with multiple wings and a connected game center and aqua-fun park. In true Beppu style, it has its own onsen on the premises.Rates range from ¥15,900 (per person) in Japanese or Western-style rooms on the Hon-Kan floor to ¥23,250 (per person) on the Good Time Floor.

Takasakiyama About half-way between Oita and Beppu, where a colony of Japanese macaques can be visited in a pleasant surrounding. At the base of the mountain is the visitors' center and Oita's Marine Palace, an aquarium with a dolphin show and trained fish.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!